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Summer 2005
AIM-SPICE TUTORIAL
1. INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………………….3
4. SIMULATION…………………………………………………………………………………………….8
4.4 DISPLAY……………………………………………………………………………………..10
5. EDITING……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 12
REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………………………....13
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2 – Toolbar………………………………………………………………………………………….4
The tutorial explains basic concepts associated with utilizing the Automatic
Integrated Circuit Modeling Spice (AIM-Spice) for circuit simulations. This
simulation tool is a version of SPICE that can run on Microsoft Windows
operating systems, including Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows X.
This tutorial will provide explanations helpful in using the simulator for defining
circuit designs, generating circuit netlists, running the simulation and displaying
the output of the simulation. Appropriate examples are also included to help
users understand simulation techniques.
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15
2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Figure 2 – Toolbar
C. Pointing Devices
The main pointing device for the tool is a mouse, click on the drop-down menu or
toolbar buttons on the simulator window to use the respective functions.
3. DESIGN AND NETLIST
1. Start the Aim-Spice program by clicking on new page button on the command
window.
2. To open an existing netlist click the open button and select the desired file.
Circuit Title
Power Supplies
Signal Sources
Device/Element Descriptions
Model Statements
The first line is the “Circuit Title” to identify the type of function or type of circuit
being simulated. The power supplies and signal sources indicate what type of
input the circuit requires, this may be AC, DC, or transient input type. The
“Device/Element” line is where the devices that make up the design are listed
with respect to the nodes defining each one of the devices. The “Model
Statement” indicates what model of device is being used in the simulation.
In order to run the simulation with devices that have specific models, the model
commands have to be included with a “dot” in front of the model command line.
3.3 REPRESENTATION AND SYNTAX OF BASIC COMPONENTS
1. Resistors (R)
3. Diode
4. Bipolar transistors
5. MOSFETS
<FET NAME> <ND> <NG> <NS> <NB> <MODEL NAME> <L=VALUE> <W=VALUE>
(ND - drain node, NG - gate node, NS - source node, NB - substrate node, L - length, W - width)
The nodes are denoted by <N+> and <N->. The device terminals, in this case
MOSFET with drain, gate, source and substrate/body are denoted by <ND>,
<NG>, <NS> and <NB> respectively. In Figure 4, notice that the tool is not case
sensitive, as long as the syntax is correct the simulation will progress. The last
line of the format starts with a bolded “.MODEL” to indicate that it is a command.
Circuit title
Power &signal
supply
Devices
Model commands
4. SIMULATION
<SOURCE NAME> <N+> <N-> SIN (V-OFFSET VAMP FREQ TD THETA PHASE) AC 1
The AC analysis window in Figure 5 is also used to specify the simulation parameters.
Example: VDD 1 0 10
PULSE SIGNAL
4.4 DISPLAY
SAMPLE PLOT
Figure 6 shows the plot window, the toolbar button with the “traffic-light” icon is
used to continue the simulation. Click on the icon, you will either get another
window or an error message. The window “simulation statistics” is the final pop-
up window that appears, click “OK” to get the desired variable plot. The drop-
down menu can be used to modify the plot. Click on the “Format” menu and
modify the X or Y axis or add title and labels to the plot.
5. EDITING
Figure 6 shows a gray window that pops up as a result of error in the simulation,
the lines that generate the errors are usually listed for any correction or editing of
the netlist. Common mistakes are due to typos or incorrect syntax in the
description of the circuit.
REFERENCES
1. http://www.aimspice.com/
2. http://www.fysel.ntnu.no/Courses/tfe4185/Spiceintro/aimuser.pdf
3. http://www.cae.wise.edu/~kime/555/tutorials/hspice/spc_tut.pdf